Berserk - Drangleic Arc
by leodomedo
Summary: What if Gutts got in the kingdom of Drangleic after the eclipse ? This is the story of a diferent reality, where Gutts will have to defeat the Queen of Desire and take the Throne of Want, to get revenge on his former friend, the once know as White Hawk.
1. Prologue - The Eclipse

I do not own any characters in the story. They're owned by their respective companies.

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PROLOGUE

 _THE ECLIPSE_

The sun was blocked by an enormous black mass, his best friend Griffith sacrificed all of his friends, and raped the woman he loves in front of him. This are the thoughts that explode in his mind as he cuts the abominations who ate his friends with his broken sword. Without an arm and an eye, he stands in front of his foe. The black winged cape, the hawk shaped helmet, once shining silver, now the blackest of nights. The creature continues to rape the woman he loves, and continues to stare at his soul with red eyes. The man charges to kill the creature only shouting:

GRIFFITH !

The broken tip of the sword almost hit the creatures eye, almost. The man is launched again and again, never touching his former friend. The creature leave the woman and says:

You should stop calling me by my old name Gutts.

Gutts is then pulled by a gigantic force into Griffith's hands. He lift Gutts in the air saying:

I'm Femto now…

The monsters around him laugh, while taking his beloved. Gutts shout:

CASKA !

Femto looks at him with a grim in his face saying:

I could kill you now, but I choose to let you know…

The demons surround Caska wich only screams louder and louder. Femto get closer to Gutts eyes and finish:

How painfull is, to have your dream destroyed.

Gutts passes out, only hearing Caska's screams of agony. Then he heard the voice of the man who ruined everything saying:

You will chase me. You will suffer more than anyone in this world. And when you face me again, i will finally kill you…

Then everything went black, for what seemed hours. Gutts finally regains consciousness, he get up as fast as he can, looking for Caska. He look around, seeing he's in a giant cave, his foot in the middle of a circle with engraved stone. There's a passage, he can barely walk, but he continues until he finds a strange shack, and what sounded as laughs coming from inside.


	2. Chapter 1 - The Red Ladies

I do not own any characters in the story. They're owned by their respective companies.

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 **1**

 _The Red Ladies_

Entering the strange shack, Gutts see four old ladies dressed in red robes. They ask him:

Oh, so you are the gift from the Black Hawk ?

Gutts notice that she is talking about Griffith and bursts in rage, he jump to attack the lady, but fall to the ground, tired. The women get up and all start laughing, Gutts notice his severed arm bleeding, he was so full of rage and confusion that he forgot his injuries. His right eye start to hurt and bleed. One of the old ladies look at him and ask:

What is your name ?

Gutts, too tired and injured even for talking, says gasping for air:

G-Gutts…

The lady replies:

Oh, at least you know your own name. HAHAHAHA !

Everything went black again. The colours start to appear again, slowing revealing a beautifull blond woman looking at Gutts with curiosity. Gutts ask:

What happened ?

The woman replies while helping him get up of the bed:

Your infuries were bad, you almost died, if weren't for the ancient-

Gutts gets up fast braging:

That bunch of old shit is with Griffith !

The woman tries to stop Gutts but he gets to the door leading to the area where the old ladies are, he jump the stairs and grap a broad sword that was resting on the side of the wall. He start asking while point the sword to everyone:

Where is him ?! WHERE IS GRIFFITH ?!

One of the ladies get up and with a gesture, pull Gutts to the other side of the room, he senses the evil aura on her, it's powerfull. She smile and say:

We don't know young one, but we were told to take care of your injuries, give you a weapon and set you off to this kingdom. Drangleic.

Gutts can't understand, he than remembers, the brand. He touch the back of his neck, felling the mark. The lady then say with a sadistic smile:

This brand, only the sacrifices have, it will drawn every beast and hollow to you, to eat your soul.

Gutts looks at the ladys eyes asking:

Hollow ?

All of the ladies start laughing, and one of they say:

Oh you will see my boy. Now go, it's time.

While passing through the door he say:

Next time I see you…

He grins, finishing:

I will kill you all.

He than shuts the door leaving the old ladies behind. Carrying his sword Gutts think in how in the world is he going to find Caska and kill Griffith. His wounds are better, but he's still without and arm and eye. As he walks the path leading to an enormous rupture on the cave, he sees light. Approuching the rupture Gutts notice, that's the sun.


	3. Chapter 2 - Majula

I do not own any characters in the story. They're owned by their respective companies.

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 **2**

 _MAJULA_

The light burn his eyes for a second. Then the overwhelming white gives place to a grass path and a big stone gate structure. Gutts walks past the gate and see what seems to be a small village. He sees, in the right side, near to a giant cliff, a bonfire. Gutts walks towards it and then sits down to think in what he will do now. Suddenly a woman in a green robe walk towards him and say:

Are you the next monarch ?

Gutts look at her confused. She has a dull expression, red hair and green eyes. Gutts replies:

No… you know how to get out of here ?

The woman changed her look, now with a serious face. She looks too the horizon and say:

You have to become king.

Gutts gets up and starts braging:

What is this shit you're saying ?

The woman raise her hand towards the bonfire and it started to light the fire. Gutts prepared his broadsword, she was some kind of priest, he doesn't get well with the supernatural types. She then says:

You must seek souls, strong ones. Once the king Vendrick casted away the four great ones. Seek their souls, and you will achieve the power to see the king.

She then pointed to a path leading below alongside the cliff. Gutss don't understand what the woman has to do with that, so he simply says:

If you trick me, I'll kill you.

But before he parts away for his search, Gutts notice a strange, green skin old man sitting on the front of a shelter ahead the bonfire. Getting close to the old man Gutts ask:

Who are you ?

The man look at him with a frustrated expression saying:

My name is Lenninsgrad. I am a blacksmith.

Gutts notice that could be a good opportunity to get better equipment, after all, he was shirtless and with a good for nothing broadsword. He asks:

Do you have anything better than this sword ?

Lennisngrad nods saying:

Yes, yes. But I lost the keys to my shack. If you find them, bring it to me and I shall provide you better equipment.

Gutts nods and departs on the path the strange woman in green pointed him. As he walk through a dark tunnel he thinks:

I will find these souls. And then, I will go after you Griffith !


	4. Chapter 3 - Forest of Giants

I do not own any characters in the story. They're owned by their respective companies.

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 **3**

 _FOREST OF GIANTS_

The swings of his sword are fast. His face lifeless. The decaying soldier try again and again to hit Gutts but with no avail. As Gutts evades the attacks he thinks in how following the river below the cave he was in was a bad idea. He ended up in some kind of forest. Suddenly he sees another two soldiers aprouch, they are falling apart, but still deadly. The three go to attack Gutts all at once. Guts smiles and block the first swing, sliding his sword, making the soldier hit the head of the other. While Gutts jumps on the other on the left he says:

One down. Two more to go !

He bash his sword on the skull of the walking corpse. He falls, but the last try to stab Gutts in the back. Gutts spins his body and sword as fast as he can, cutting off the monster's head. He looks at his sword and say to himself:

Not heavy enough.

Then some kind of energy is passed from the corpses to Gutts, who feels more strong. An arrow comes passing one inch above Gutts head, he looks at the undead archer past the river. He have to be fast or he will be hit. Gutts jump for the other side of the river, running towards the undead and cutting his head off. Then other attacks from Gutts swing his sword aiming the heart of the creature but it defends the attack. Gutts look surprised with the undead holding a shield and blocking his attack. If he have his old sword, that attack would cut the beast in half. He then kicks the undead, wich falls, Gutts look around for a way out and see a ladder.

After climbing the ladder he sees a white knight sitting in the side of a tree, but the vision don't last long as other undeads start to attack him. Gutts evades and dogdes the attacks, but end up with a superficial cut in the ribs. He sees a passage with white fog and jumps in it. The fog disappears and the undead start to chase Gutts. He runs in the corridor, dodging every attack, and striking the ones he can until he gets to a ladder. Swing his sword to kill as many enemies as he can, Gutts manage to get enough time to climb the ladder. Tired, Gutts sees a closed gate ahead. He opens it and see a bonfire next to an old lady in black, carrying a heavy wooden bag. He gets close to the bonfire and mimics the woman in green. Raising his hand towards the bonfire and igniting the fire. Gutts then sit to rest while looking at the old lady. She then start to talk:

Hello traveler. Please buy something.

She puts various itens in front of Gutts, explaining every one of them. Gutts notice that the blacksmith keys were there. He asked for them and the lady said it's worth a thousand souls. Gutts didn't understand, he hasn't found none. The lady start laughing and say:

I can see in your face. You don't know what I am talking about. Well, great quantity of souls are extract from every enemy you kill in Drangleic. I heard some loud noises from outside. I imagine it was you confronting the hollows.

Gutts stop the lady asking:

What are these hollows ?

The woman then replies:

They are cursed. They have the brand of the undead. They can never truly die, and every time they are restored the hunger for souls gets higher and the sanity fades.

Gutts then notice, his mark was bleeding, he turns while touching it. The woman sees the brand and replies:

Oh, the brand of the sacrifice. You are, different, my friend.

Gutts ask:

You know this ?

The lady replies smiling:

Yes, your curse it's a horrific one. Your flesh and blood it's destined to the demons. Every hollow and demon will try everything they can to eat your soul. But you cannot be reborn like the undead. If you die, the demons will own your soul.

Gutts gets up saying:

Enough of this, give me the key.

The old lady tells Gutts to think in giving the number of souls she asked, and suddenly an energy is transferred from Gutts to the lady as she says:

Now the keys is yours, thank you kindly. Hahaha.

Gutts see a ladder behind him, going down. He can't walk back, there's too much enemies. He walks down the ladder and follow the corridor, leading to a enormous hole in the wall, followed by a path made of giant vines. Gutts follow this path until he gets to an open corridor. Three armored undead try to attack him. Gutts cuts the spear of one in half while kicking the other aside, he sees a higher floor climbs a ladder to it. But then a giant crow appears in the sky, scaring of the other undeads. The crow has something in his claws. When he opens it a warrior fall, he launches his greatsword, wich lands in front of Gutts. The knight lands in the rectangular floor, he grabs his greatsword and start floating in the air. Gutts prepares himself while saying:

Shit !

The knight start swinging his sword, Gutts manage to dodge the attacks, but the sound the sword makes while passing inches above Gutts head is unbearable. The attacks of Gutts don't make any effects, the armour of the knight is to thick, and the shield he carries is to big. The knight hit Gutts with it's shield, launching him to the other side of the floor. One hit was enough to break bones. Gutts slowly gets up thinking:

Is this how I am going to die ?

Then he remembers everything that happened in the eclipse, and rage fires his heart while he think:

NO! I WILL NOT DIE HERE!

Gutts charges towards the Knight, which swing his sword again, Gutts dodge the attack and get up hitting the hand of the knight with his sword. The knight scream in an inhuman voice while his hand falls to the ground along with it's sword. Gutts pick the greatsword and with a grin say:

Now that's heavy enough !

Gutts swing the sword using all of his strength, but the knight blocks it with the shield, But Gutts keep hitting faster and stronger until the Knight got stuned and Gutts finally stick the sword into his chest, ending the creature. Gutts then take the greatsword and starts walking the rest of the way until he reaches a passage with two undead with spears. He quickly finish both and enters the passage, then he sees some kind of contraption machine with a button on top, he steps in it and it starts to get down, leading him to the underground. As he walks to the passage in the end of the hallway he sees, a giant creature, trapped in giant stone spikes with a hole in the place of his face, heavily injured. The creature somehow looks at him and an ominous sound comes out of the monster as he break the spikes that hold him and charges towards Gutts which only response is get his sword ready and shout with anger.


	5. Chapter 4 - The Masked Woman

**I do not own any of these characters, they're owned by their respective companies.**

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 **4**

 _THE MASKED WOMAN_

Finally the giant beast falls down into the ground. Gutts never saw a monster with such hate, that it ripped it's own arm off to try to hit him. He notices a key lying in the floor in the side of the monster and take it. After walking back the way he came and stepping through the passage after the contraption machine, Gutts see a door. He uses the key and opens the door, walking up some stairs until he reaches a field in the side of a giant cliff. Gutts search the place, finding nothing, he notices a bird's nest. When he approached, a giant crow fink it's claws on Gutts back and take him to the horizon. It's night, hours have passed since the crow began carrying him through the sea. Gutts finally see an dark structure, like a tower with endless corridor connecting it's various sessions. The crow leave Gutts in front of a bonfire and fly away. Gutts light up the bonfire, and suddenly a masked woman walk of the shadows. She has the clothes of a noble person, neither armor, neither robes. Her mask, a metal reconstruction of a man's face, look at Gutts with blank eyes. The woman say:

It's a heavy weapon for a crippled man.

Gutts point his sword to the woman's face, the tip of the blade almost touching the metal nose. He say:

Attack me, and I show you what a crippled can do !

His eyes firing with anger meet the cold eyes behind the mask, her hands slip into the belt, pulling a heavy sword with ease. The woman strikes Gutts sword making him lost balance. While he falls he can only think in how monstrous is the strength of that woman. Suddenly she charges in front of him, her blade pierced his hand, making Gutts drop the sword. Before he could notice, he was laying in the ground with a stabbed hand, and a dagger was ready to cut his throat. That woman was no ordinary warrior, she was an strategist, a specially deadly type of person. The woman then say:

Calm down, the cursed must be united.

Gutts asked surprised:

You are cursed too ?

She takes the dagger and sword to the belt, leaving Gutts hand bleeding. As she laugh, she say:

Don't you know ? Everyone here is cursed. You must be careful, or you will become hollow very quickly.

Gutts sit around the bonfire with his sword saying:

My curse is a different nightmare…

The woman turns around and start walking the corridor ahead saying:

You seem to be interesting. Better head to Majula to rest. Just look at the bonfire and imagine yourself going there.

The woman vanishes in the dark. Gutts do what she told and suddenly a fog engulf him, transporting the cursed man to the small village of Majula once more. He then walks towards Lenninsgrad and give him the keys to his shelter. As the green blacksmith enters, he say:

You certainly look like a mess boy.

Gutts just grins with pain and say:

Fetch me something to kill monsters old man…

Lenninsgrad smile and take his hammer. Looking at Gutts he say:

You like big swords eh ? I know just the thing. Hehe.

While Gutts rest with the medicine the blacksmith provided him, a sinister weapon was being created. Capable of slaying dragons, that thing was the ultimate sword. Lenninsgrad didn't stop with that, while he create an armor and "accessories" he say to Gutts:

Just a big sword won't give you the power you need, there's more that this old blacksmith can offer you.

Gutts just stares at the flaming sparks of the forge. Remembering everything, Caska, the band of the hawk, his family. He remember their faces being eaten by demons, just to satisfy the selfish dream of his best friend. Yes, his best friend, Griffth. Just the thought of his name makes Gutts heart to burn in anger. He will destroy Griffth and everything that stand at his side. Lenninsgrad looks at him and say:

It is done. I created the most lethal set this old arms could've manage to.

Lenninsgrad then show his creations. A black armor, appearing to be easy to move in and impenetrable at the same time. A metal arm, with a magnet in the palm of the hand area, to facilitate the use of his sword. Also, the arm has a contraction which turns down the metal hand and reveals a portable canon, all by the push of a string. A small knife, easy to use for secondary attacks or surprise ones, alongside with various throwing knifes. And the last piece of this deadly mix: the dragonslayer sword. Enormous and powerful, it can rip through armors with alarming ease. All of that made with the strongest combination in this land, the metal know as titanite and dragon's petrified bones. As Gutts finish dressing up, Lenninsgrad give him a last item, a black cape. As Gutts departs Lenninsgrad say:

Become king, and end this nightmare of ours, black swordsman.

As Gutts reach the bonfire he see the woman with green robes in the side of the cliff, looking at the sun. He remembers Caska, but pushed his thoughts away, now it's not the time. Now I'ts time for blood. Gutts sit around the bonfire and think in getting to the dark structure. The fog transports him there and soon he charges in the corridors. Various soldiers attack him in the way, with steel helmets, their visors appearing empty and cold. They surround Gutts in a large room, Gutts see a passage leading to a fog gate. He swings his mighty sword, devastating the knights. Blood and armor pieces fly as Gutts move his sword with surprising ease. He runs toward the fog gate, just as he enters the other side he sees that there's a big hole in the floor, leading to the floor below, a great golden hammer hit him from the side. The sword is used as shield and Gutts is tossed aside falling in the lower floor. A skinny golden knight statue, carrying a giant hammer lands in front of him. Gutts charge to it and swing his sword, cutting the hammer in half. He spins and the sword hit the monster again, cutting one of it's arms off. Then other two statues, similar to the first, jump on the battle. The two carrying hammers and shields, Gutts try to hit one with his sword but the other defend it with the shield, protecting the other statue. The impact make Gutts take a step back, giving time for the other statue to hit with the hammer, launching him in the air and in the ground. As Gutts gets up, one of the statues launch it's shield in Gutts direction. Gutts has enough time to try to defend with his sword. The shield hit the sword, making Gutts body shake while he blocks the attack, the shield falls in the ground, Gutts look at his enemies with rage but the statue with one arm punch him. Gutts is launched again, landing in the wall and falling in the ground, his sword was throw away by the impact and the statues are coming closer. The one armed statue grab him by the neck and lift him, Gutts look at the shining gold helmet and push the string in his metal arm, revealing his canon. Gutts shoot the statue in the head. The headless statue falls as Gutts is slammed in the ground by the impact of the explosion. Gutts get himself up and see the other statues come. The golden hammer swing to hit him, Gutts throw his body in the air dodging the attack, but the other statue charges with it's shield, knocking Gutts in the ground again. When the statue was going to end Gutts with it's hammer, a sword pass through it's chest, the statue falls. Behind it's corpse the masked woman appears, she walk towards Gutts and help him get up while saying:

Seems you need some help.

Gutts grins and uses the woman's hand to push himself up and immediately charge for the last enemy saying:

Just don't get in the way.

As Gutts run towards the last statue he sees his sword lying in the left of it. The statue knocks it's shield into the ground trying to smash Gutts, who jump back dodging the attack, he then uses the shield to jump towards the statue's head, punching it with his metal arm, he land near his sword and as he takes it, the statue try to lift the shield but it's stuck in the ground. When the statue looks to Gutts he bash it's head with the sword, cutting the helmet in two and finally bringing the fight to an end. As the three statues were lying in the ground their souls leaves their bodies, two go to Gutts and one to the masked woman. Gutts can feel his wounds being cured and the strength of his bones getting back. The woman looks at him thinking that she never saw a warrior that looked so much like a beast. She walks towards Gutts and say putting his hat down in a exaggerated reverence:

My name is Lucatiel, of Mirrah.

Gutts just stand still saying with a suspicious voice:

Gutts.

The woman put her hat back and say:

I never saw a sword this big, it's more like a giant metal bar.

She walks towards the passage leading to some stairs and say:

But as you see, you can't battle this monsters all by yourself. I can help. All the cursed want to take down the king and be free of this nightmare.

Gutts walks towards the passage, pushing Lucatiel out of the way. When he reach the stairs he turn his face to Lucatiel's and say:

You better of being away from me. People around me only get a horrible death.

Lucatiel sighs saying:

As you wish, but i will tell you this, you can't win this fight alone.

Gutts simply walks the stairs while saying:

Thanks for the advice.

More and more corridors, more and more monsters to fight. But Gutts doesn't hesitate to massacre them all, one after another, they all fall to his sword, until he gets to a contraption machine like the one before the fight with the giant. He steps into it and it starts to go down, hitting the bottom Gutts walks into a corridor filled with water, which reach Gutts knees. He sees a gate on the other side and hurries to get there, as he passes through the other segments of the corridor on the sides a hulking monster try to hit him, his arm goes down in a monstrous velocity, but Gutts manage to block it in time with the dragonslayer, then he push his body and sword against the monster's large body, craving his sword into it's chest. After absorving the soul of the monster and getting to the gate Gutts see a large lever, he put his sword in his back and start pushing the lever, it's old and heavy, Gutts is taking longer to push it. Then out of the dark, pale humanoid creatures charge to hit Gutts, but Lucatiel jump after the monsters cutting them as they attack. She stay between them and Gutts, with her sword ready she says to the black swordsman:

Don't need help huh ?

Gutts manage to pull the lever and the gate is lifting, Lucatiel prepares herself to take the eight remaining monsters, when they charge at her Gutts push her away and with a swing of his sword he cuts the eight in half. Looking down on Lucatiel he says:

No.

He helps her get up and both walk past the gate which close soon after, as they walk the straight stone path in the middle of the water Lucatiel looks behind and see more pale monster trying to reach out from the gate, she start talking while the two walk:

When this madness is going to end ?

Gutts coldly point:

It won't, this madness has always been there, we just couldn't see.

The two stop at a large staircase with a white fog gate on the top. Lucatiel say:

Your neck, is bleeding too much…

Gutts was so immersed in the fights that he forgot his bleeding mark. Lucatiel then asked:

It hurts ?

Guts washed away the blood with his metal hand saying:

It's a warning, this one is different.

Gutts looked at her and continued:

You choose to follow me, there's no turning back now.

She nods and prepares her sword saying:

I will free myself from this curse!

The two walk the stairs and enters the fog, on the other side is a giant black room, filled with torches and inscriptions everywhere, they seem to be made by nails. In the other side of the room is a large closed gate and in front of it is a humanoid creature, using filthy rags. It's wrists and heels are chained with iron, the tied hands hold a fine long sword. It's face is covered by a black mask. Suddenly a vermin like creature crawls to the humanoid eyes socket, making him scream in a ominous voice, the creature swing it's sword making all the torches light to fade. Gutts and Lucatiel charge towards to monster, each by one side, Gutts by left, Lucatiel by the right. The monster moves after hearing the steps of the two and jumps in an incredible velocity to the ceiling, the thing flips and it's feet touch the ceiling only to jump again in a matter of seconds. It goes to attack Gutts first, who see the sword coming from above and deflects it using the dragonslayer. The impact throws the masked monster to the side of Lucatiel which try to hit it in midair, but the monster dodge and land in the wall using it as impulse to attack Lucatiel. The monster attacks Lucatiel several times while jumping around in circles, the attacks are blocked but the woman is loosing balance. Gutts sees an opening and use his throwing knives, the monster deflect the majority with it's sword, but one hit it's ribs and other it's left eye socket. The monster screams and walk slowly away from the two. Lucatiel notice that the monster stop attacking, it appears to be listening the surroundings. When Gutts charges to it, the monster jump towards him, the blades hit several times, making sparkles each time. The monster is so fast that appear to be dancing around Gutts, he attacks from all sides but Gutts is fast and manage to block them, being cut only superficially. Lucatiel try to attack the beast while it fight Gutts but it jumps for the ceiling, making Lucatiel miss the attack and almost hit Gutts who block her blade with the dragonslayer. Gutts then say:

Careful, he appears to be randomly attacking but it's strategic.

Lucatiel looks around to find the monster saying:

I know, won't happen again.

Gutts notice something in her, and say:

You… you're afraid.

She turn her face to him, the metal mask stare at his eye, but then the creature comes storming from the left corner of the room, it's sword is aiming to hit the two at the same time from left to right. Gutts push Lucatiel away with his shoulder, she screams seeing the blade coming while she hit the floor. The long pale blade land on Gutts metal arm, he grabs the blade to make sure the creature won't jump this time. He looks at it and his face change, as he screams his eyes are filled with fury, but Lucatiel notice, that he is smiling. With a sadistic smile Gutts cuts off the arms of the masked monster in one swing, his sword goes up and within a second, goes down, straight for the creature's head. The monster looks up, hearing the waving sound of dragonslayer, the sword cuts the mask in half, along with the rest of it's body. With blood splattered all over the place, Lucatiel looks at the furious warrior victorious. Gutts feels an immense power within him as the soul of the monster is transferred to him, he helps Lucatiel get up and the two depart for the closed gate, once opened they see a large dark room with a bonfire in the center.

Gutts light it up and the two teleport to Majula. In the village the sun shine again, Lucatiel turn to Gutts and say:

You slayed a great one, never thought I'd see it myself.

Gutts just look at her, his eye telling it all, it wasn't over, there's much more blood to be spilled. Lucatiel then continues:

You were right… I was afraid…but…

Gutts is surprised by that reaction and say:

It's ok, it's normal I think…

Lucatiel interrupts:

No! I was born in Mirrah, a land of warriors, I shouldn't be afraid. But now I know is possible to escape this place, i'm not afraid of these things anymore. Thank you, Gutts.

Gutts just nods with a serious face. Lucatiel then turns around and start walking down another path in the other side of the village. While she steps further away from the black swordsman she thinks, that she is not afraid of the monsters anymore, because she saw something worse. Something in that cruel smile of his, something feral. She prefer to continue her jorney alone and not be a burden for him. She's strong, but compared to that thing inside of him, she's nothing. She walk down a tunnel in the other side of the village hoping that the black swordsman destroy this world and his beast with it.


	6. Chapter 5 - Casca

**I do not own any of these characters, they're owned by their respective companies.**

* * *

 **5**

 _CASCA_

The black swordsman stare at the giant hole in the middle of Majula, thinking in how he's going to get down there. He talked with the green lady and she pointed to this hole while saying one single word: "Casca". Gutts needs to get there. He sees some wood bridges down the hole, but he don't know if they will hold the weight. Without choice Gutts jump in one of the bridges, his weight make the wood below him collapse and Gutts start to fall, he then crave his sword in the wall next to him. The sword won't hold long, the wall is too thick to stick the sword properly. Gutts see an entrance to what appears to be a tunnel in the lower part of the wall in the other side. The sword can't hold anymore, Gutts starts falling again, he wait until he gets close to where the entrance is and use his feet on the wall behind him to get impulse and jump to the entrance. Landing in the cliff in front of the entrance, Gutts start walking through the passage thinking if there is another way out of there. He see a bonfire in the dark, quickly fading, he then ignites it. The flames light show a giant rat stone jaw, inside it, a passage. Entering the place, a circular room with another passage on the other side, three enormous rats crawl out of the shadows. Their skin's rotten and smell like corpse. They charge into Gutts direction, he swing his sword cutting two of them in half, the other one jumps on Gutts face, his monstrous teeth in front of Gutts eye. He thinks fast and take the dagger of his belt. He stick the blade in the rats head, which screams in agony before dying. Gutts put his dagger back in the belt and walk toward the passage in the other side of the room. Is a narrow corridor with the left side open, there are some bridges lifted in the other side, and face like markings in the ground. Gutts don't have time to think about that, as five rats come from the end of the corridor. Gutts charge directly to them, slicing their bodies with dragonslayer. In the end of the corridor, another bonfire, and another fog gate. After igniting the fire he traverse the fog and see a room filled with stone in the ground, stones very familiar to graves. In the walls, holes and more holes, like a catacomb. An horde of rats start to come out of the holes. Gutts put the two hands in the dragonslayer, his face more serious than ever, this is not a moment for making the monster pay, now he needs to get to Casca, at any cost. The rats run towards Gutts from all sides, he swings his sword, making the rodents pieces fly in the room. More rats come out of the holes, some jumping into Gutts head from above, but Gutts is even more fast this time. There's no room for mistake now. Suddenly one rat bite Gutts leg, he scream in pain before bashing the monster skull with his metal arm. He begin to feel slow, his movements aren't killing as many as before. The sword feels heavy, but he cannot give up, he fought one hundred man alone, he can deal with this infestation. One swing after another, the rats appear to not decrease in number or ferocity. Gutts muscles can't handle the sword weight any longer, the rat's speed don't let him use his canon, suddenly two rats jump in Gutts back, making him loose balance. He falls in the ground and the rats amount themselves trying to devour him, but Gutts start using his dagger. Now with a light weapon, Gutts is a match for the rats again. During what seemed hours of constant blood splattering, Gutts sees himself to be the only living being on the room. With the dagger on the belt and dragonslayer on his hands he goes to the other side of the room, through a passage. There, a medium sized rat, with red eyes, stare at him while saying:

Human, I see you defeated my royal vanguard. What do you seek in my kingdom ?

Gutts strike the sword on the right side of the rat, passing only a few inches of his face and landing on the pile of skeletons nearby. He then says:

Where is Casca ? If you don't want to end like your vanguard tell me where she is!

The rodent expression didn't change a bit. He say:

Fool, the Hawk delivered her to the Rotten, in the lowest part of the Gutter. You won't survive down there.

Gutts simply walk on the passage leading to various stairs going down, he then stop and turn to the rat. With a push of the string in his metal arm, the canon is revealed and before the rodent could speak more he is hit with a burning canon ball. Gutts goes down the various stairs while thinking if Casca is alive, and what he will do to this Rotten if he hurts her. Reaching the ground, the effect of the rats bite has worn of, he walks towards a dark passage lading to a gigantic cave, filled with wood floors and an pitch black abyss below. As he walks down a wood path he notice pale white statues, human faces carved in them. Suddenly they start shooting a green liquid out of their mouths, Gutts run with his sword in the back protecting him of the attacks. The wood start to collapse below him, Gutts step in the rotten wood and all his surrounding falls into a lower floor. Gutts push away the wood planks that fallen on him and notice that various hollows are charging in his direction. Gutts start swinging his sword killing as many as he can, but his strikes are so powerful that destroys the place around him, causing it to collapse once more. As the ground start to fall down the abyss, Gutts start to run looking for a way out, he sees a wood bridge under a big rock. Gutts use the rock as impulse and grab the bridge by the side. As he push himself up a monstrous hulking dog comes through the bridge and bite Gutts metal arm. The monstrous dog start running while dragging Gutts along, getting on the other side of the bridge the dog uses his mouth and throw Gutts on a wood floor in front of a fog gate. After falling in the ground, Gutts gets up and notice that now there's three dogs slowing walking around him. They are analyzing their prey, but so are Gutts. The dogs attack all at once, Gutts spin with his sword, the blade hitting the floor in his back and side, making the wood fall and two dogs with it. The other is coming from the front, but Gutts sword comes with powerful speed, cutting the monster in two pieces. Gutts traverse the fog and see various ladders going down, he don't hesitate in taking one and going further below. Getting on the ground, Gutts walks a path on the side of a cliff of the giant abyss. He notice green lights in the wall and various shooting statues on the way with black puddles. Gutts charges on the path as the statues shoots green liquid with always pass few inches of his body. Then, out of the puddles, monsters who seemed more like giant black hands with teeth start to attack Gutts. He uses dragonslayer the best he can but Gutts cannot kill the monsters and avoid the statues at the same time. Being hit several times, Gutts start to feel weak, he can only say one word:

P-poison…

He's sight start to fade but Gutts won't stop, he charge while destroying the monsters with dragonslayer until he gets to a thin passage on the cliff side. Gutts walk as fast as he can, trying to stick to the wall and not passing out, he sees an enormous hole in the wall and suddenly an great worm creature attack Gutts from within the hole. The creature storms out of the hole, it's brown skin writhes itself trying to make Gutts fall, he quickly reveal his cannon in his metal arm, put gunpowder and a canon ball, stick it to the creature body in front of him saying:

You're on my way…

The canon shot destroy the worm monster's body, burning it until it's upper part falls down the cliff, clearing the passage. As Gutts walk the rest of the path, more poison statues shoot at him. Making the best he could to protect himself, Gutts use dragonslayer as a shield in front of him. But the attacks on the side and back cannot be avoided, Gutts is almost passing out when he sees a fog gate, his brand start to bleed too much, too much to be a normal foe. Gutts charges to the fog and jump to it, when he fall in the other side, he sees a giant cave, with various broken statues and black puddles filled with fire. But that was nothing compared to the enormous mass of corpses forming a giant creature, trying to fix one of the statues, and on it's side, Casca. Gutts quickly gets up, he can't believe he finally found her. Again, only one word leave his mouth:

Caska!

Caska turn her face at him, with a confused look, and the monster too, but with an gigantic anger in his movement. He picks a giant machete like blade and start swinging it, trying to hit Gutts in total fury. Gutts try to defend it with dragonsayer but he is tossed aside, the poison is slowing him down, his sight is fading again. Than he start speaking:

NO! I will save you! Even if the cost is…

Gutts charge at the monster with every bit of rage he has while screaming:

MY OWN LIFE!

The blade hit the monster weapon, breaking it into pieces. Gutts sword goes directly to the monster chest in a up to down movement. He cuts through the corpses that fill the creature but it don't stop. The monster hand pick Gutts and lift him, the monster start smashing Gutts body with it's strength. In a few seconds Gutts will die, the only thing preventing this is his armor, Gutts leave dragonslayer, with falls in the ground and take the dagger from his belt, he start cutting the monster hand from below, the rotten flesh is easy to cut, so Gutts manage to cut so much of the monster hand that it can't handle his weight. The hand dismantle into corpse pieces, freeing Gutts, he take some steps back, while loading his canon, and with a monstrous grin he shoot the monster in the face, making the entire body of the creature to collapse and fall. A great one soul is transferred to Gutts body, healing Gutts in the process while also, making him stronger. Gutts takes his sword, put it on his back and run straight to Casca saying:

Casca! You're alright ? Did that thing hurt you ?

But Casca, in ragged clothes, just looks at him with rage. Gutts can't understand and grab her by the arms saying:

How you ended here ? Where's Griffith ?

She started screaming and punching Gutts, he let her go and she run to the remains of the Rotten. She start crying and Gutts notice that the monster wasn't just attacking him, he was protecting Casca. Griffith must have enjoyed the irony of two monsters battle to protect their loved one of themselves. Casca then ran to the other side of the cave, into a dark passage, Gutts quickly followed her. She was resting at a bonfire in the middle of a dark room, Gutts aprouch slowly saying:

Did you ignite this ?

Casca simply growl at Gutts, rage and fear in her eyes, Gutts take Casca by the hand and pulls her up saying:

WHY ? WHY YOU DON'T TALK TO ME!

He notice that she is trembling with fear and say:

Why… I can't…

Suddenly the bonfire explodes in light launching the two away, as Gutts and Casca gets up an strange organism emerges from the fire, it appears to be a giant face composed of vines and veins, burning but not dying. The thing start talking:

Greetings marked ones.

His voice is like many people are talking together, Gutts take his sword and say:

Who are you ?

The strange face say:

I…am Aldia. Are you the one destined to sit the throne? Or are you the one destined to end the Hawk's flight ?

Gutts ask:

Griffith ? What you have to do with him ? What's happened to Casca?!

The figure answer:

Her mind cannot coexist with the memories of the eclipse, she lost her sanity to the demons, only her flesh remains to be taken…

Gutts looks at Casca, her dull expression while playing with her clothes. On that moment Gutts realized the harsh truth. He falls on his knees screaming in agony, remembering everything that happened and thinking how he though he was going to make it. It's crazy enough to have survived until now, but kill Griffith and the God Hand is impossible for him, he's just human. He can't scream anymore, his eyes red with despair. Then Aldia start talking again:

The Hawk was reborn with a perfect body while you were here. He's bulding an army to conquer the world…He thinks of himself as a god… but…

Aldia's eyes glow red while he continued:

A lie will remain a lie…

Gutts looks at him and whisper to himself:

There's a way… to kill him ?

The fire around Aldia start to glow even more as he say:

Become stronger marked one… seek the berserk armor. With that and the great ones souls you will conquer your destiny, whichever it may be…

Before Gutts could ask where he could find the armor he and Casca were teleported to Majula. Tired Gutts sit around the bonfire while Casca go to the cliff, staring the view. Gutts say to himself:

Maybe, if given time, she'll recover her memories… I… I can't loose he-

The green woman sits on the rock at Gutts side while saying:

She's beautiful, I understand your affection for her…

Gutts look at her with a angry face saying:

I met Aldia, he wants to help me, just like you. Why ?

The woman just smile and say:

Not everyone will bow down to the Hawk's reign.

She then gets up and say:

It's time to introduce myself, I am the green herald, servant of the dragons.

Gutts scratch his head saying:

\- You are introducing yourself only now ?

The green herald smile again, she hold her hands together and a shining ball of energy start to come out as she say:

I shall provide you help, in form of a companion.

Suddenly an small humanoid creature appears flying in front of Gutts, he has insect wings, blue hair and appear to be a male, he then say:

Hello big guy, my name is Puck, what's yours ?


	7. Chapter 6 - The Duke of Tseldora

**I do not own any of these characters, they're owned by their respective companies.**

* * *

 **6**

 _THE DUKE OF TSELDORA_

Gutts hands waved, trying to hit Puck while the little one kept saying:

Hey! Watch out! I'm here to help!

Gutts stop and look at Puck's eyes saying:

I don't need help from vermin…

Puck start screaming:

WHAT?! Hey, lady, I don't want this job anymore!

The green herald watch the arguing and say:

Black swordsman… Follow me…

The woman lead Gutts and Puck to a passage filled with vines and roots of a giant tree and say:

Continue on this path, visit the Duke of Tseldora and reclaim the soul resting in his domains…

Puck fly toward the green herald and say:

Why I have to go with him ?

He start whispering while making a suspicious face:

I think he's crazy…

Gutts interrupts the two asking:

And Casca ?

The green herald respond serious:

I will take care of her while you are gone brave warrior.

Gutts start walking the path, the green herald smile to Puck and say:

This man will need your help, more in spirit than in muscle…

Puck nods, and fly to reach Gutts. As the two walk away the green herald remembers what Gutts said about Aldia and say to herself:

Aldia…What are you planning ?

The two pass through a tunnel filled with vines. Passing it they reach an open path, Gutts see an structure ahead, some kind of fort. Puck ask:

Sooo, what's your name ?

Gutts notice something else and say:

Quiet…

He sees an armored man sitting next to the fort entrance, the grey beard reaches his belly. With him, a magnificent great sword, it's blade shining a blue light. The man looks at the two travelers and say:

Oh hi, sorry for scaring ya. I am Benhart of Jugo.

Gutts look at the man, and say:

Gutts…

Puck land on Gutts shoulder saying:

So that's your name!

Gutts ignore the little one and continues:

You know how far is Tseldora ?

Benhart's face change, a serious face took place, he say:

You want to go there ? Why ?

Puck interrupt saying:

That's what I keep asking him…

Benhart continues:

You should listen the elf. Tseldora is not a human domain anymore…

The man get up and continues while scratching his beard:

Besides, there's a strange statue blocking the passage in the fort. Anyway, I wish you luck boy.

The man walk away the path which the two came, headed for Majula. Gutts enter the fort, seeing various closed doors on the sides and a statue of a woman holding the lever of a big closed gate. Puck fly to it saying:

Hmmm.

Gutts take his blade and prepare to destroy the statue when Puck interrupts:

Wait! That's a real woman!

Gutts stop and ask:

What ? How she's…

Puck then say while flying around the statue:

She must've been petrified, some kind of spell probably.

The little elf then start to drop some kind of dust in the statue. Suddenly the stone turns into skin and the lady falls in the ground confused. Gutts, confused, ask:

How did you…

Puck smile saying:

Elfic dust! Cures anything!

The woman gets up and say:

Thank you my lord. A little mage casted a spell on me. I have to find my master before doing anything about her.

The woman has dark hair, brown eyes and used ragged clothes. She thanks the two again and say that she will head for Majula to find her master. Gutts then open the gate pushing the lever. Suddenly the doors on the sides open, revealing humanoid, mutated creatures. Their skin is green, they have numerous beast teeth and carry what seems like maces. As soon as the two see the monsters, Puck start screaming and flying frenetically while Gutts swing his sword, cutting every hostile into pieces. Behind Gutts, the gate opens, and a giant frog creature start producing a green fog. Gutts movements start to slow down but he manages to cut the monster's head off with dragonslayer. Puck lands again on Gutts shoulder saying:

Yeah, they proved the taste of our wrath!

Gutts and Puck pass through the gate and walk through the path after it, encountering many other deformed monsters in the way. After fighting the monsters in the way, they see a circular structure, inside, a bonfire and one stair on each side of it. Gutts ignites the bonfire and rest for some time. Puck say:

So what's your story ?

Gutts looked at him, the flames making shadows on his face, making his gaze even more intimidating. He say:

A friend tried to kill me. Now I will get my revenge.

Puck's face was staggered, he could only say:

Not much of a smiling type eh ?

The elf then asked:

And what about that woman, Casca ? She is sick or something ?

Gutts looks down to the fire and say:

I…I don't know…

Puck see suffering in Gutts face, he stops asking and decides to help in whatever he can. The two start walking up the stairs, on the top they see three paths, the brand start bleeding more after they see a path with a very heavy fog in it. Gutts then say:

It's this one…

Puck notice the bleeding mark but choose to stay quiet. The two go through the path, and enormous forest with thick fog, the two can't see almost nothing. Suddenly Gutts hear movement, he say:

Puck, quiet…

He stare at the surroundings, waiting for a clue, then, footsteps. Someone running towards them, but he can't see anything. Gutts notice foot markings on the leaves and say while taking his sword:

It's invisible!

Gutts swing his sword and only see the blood coming out of nothing while he hear the pieces of whatever it was falling into the ground. Suddenly more footsteps. Gutts run with Puck flying behind him by the left of the forest until they can't hear the footsteps again. Puck sees some ruins ahead and fly to it. He then start to scream:

Hey! Gutts!

Gutts follow Puck and see him siting above a severed head. The head was in a red helmet with a dragon head shape. Puck say:

We can hide here while we think in how to escape those things.

Suddenly the head starts talking:

Hello traveler…

Puck jumps screaming and saying:

It's alive!

Gutts put dragonslayer on his back and starts asking:

What are you ?

The head looked at Gutts with an analytic expression while saying:

I am Vengarl.

Puck starts poking the head with a twig saying:

How are you alive if you don't have a body ?

Vengarl replied:

In this place no one truly dies. Unfortunately I was beheaded, my body is now wandering around, killing everything.

Vengarl looked at Gutts with hope in his eyes saying:

You, warrior… you could defeat my body…

Gutts replied coldly:

Why I should care ?

Puck jumped at Gutts face saying:

How can you be so cruel ?! He just want our help-

Puck is interrupted by Gutts hand pushing him off. Vengarl then say:

Please, I can see him, he's in Tseldora…

Gutts sees an opportunity and ask:

You know how to get there ?

Vengarl smiles and say:

Yes, go far east on the forest, you will see stairs, follow them.

Gutts turn around while saying:

If I encounter your body, he'll be dead…

Gutts start to walk east, Puck then ask:

You won't run straight into a forest with invisible things trying to kill us right Gutts?

Gutts smirks and take dragonslayer out of his back, Puck continues desperate:

Gutts ?

Gutts charges to the east part of the forest, Puck jump in his shoulder holding in his armor. Gutts notice the footsteps again, he spins with dragonslayer hoping he will hit something. He hear screaming and see some blood, but he can't stop. Gutts run as fast as he can, with Puck screaming in his ear:

We're going to die! We're going to die! We're going to die!

Gutts finally sees the stairs, he jump at it and start walking the path. Eventually the fog fades and they enter a ruin filled with moss and with a bonfire. Gutts then say:

Puck fly around. Scout the place.

Puck is lied in Gutts shoulder saying:

I'm dead, don't talk to me…

Gutts push dragonslayer into his shoulder, almost hitting Puck, who dodge saying:

OK! Ok, calm down!

After a couple of minutes Puck returns saying:

Bad news…

Puck explains that the place is filled with "Lion Knights", but he saw a path up ahead that leads to a fog gate. Gutts then charge through the moss field, he quickly notices the lion knights, big and feral, they wield an axe and shield. The first start to attack Gutts, trying to cut his head out with the axe, but Gutts deflects it with his metal arm. In a blink of an eye, Gutts stab the beast in the chest. Gutts continues to walk the field, a large place, filled with old ruins that appear to be a post war scenario. Two other lions attack Gutts, the first attack is an axe coming from the inferior left side, Gutts blocks it with the lower part of the grip of his blade. The other lion push him with it's shield, making Gutts fall into a wood floor he didn't noticed. The wood collapse, making Gutts fall into a cave, Puck followed Gutts worried. There are various holes on the sides of the cave, and a wood door behind Gutts. Suddenly, various frog like creatures started crawling out of the holes and attacking the two, while Gutts swings his blade, killing as many as he can, Puck jump around the attacks and tries to punch one frog in the eye saying:

Legendary elf punch!

The frog tries to eat Puck, which fly screaming with the creature right behind him. Gutts starts to think they are too many, the space is too straight for him to use dragonslayer properly. Gutts hit the wood door, breaking it, suddenly an giant humanoid crow start attacking everything on it's way, Gutts is tossed aside and watches as the thing rips the creatures apart. Puck land on Gutts shoulder saying:

I think you've met your soulmate…

When the monsters are all dead, the crow turns to Gutts and Puck which are staggered and ready to fight. It's body resembles a woman's but instead of feet, arms and human head, there are crow parts. The crow then say in a scratchy feminine tone:

I am Ornifex, you released me… You have my gratitude.

Gutts just ask:

I want a way out of this cave, you know any ?

The crow don't replies, she spread her wings and start to fly, taking Gutts by the shoulders with her claws. Puck follow the two as they go to the other side of the cave, passing through it's exit and up the moss field until they reach the fog gate. The crow drop Gutts there and say while on the air:

Sorry, can't bring you the entire path. If you survive, seek me in Tseldora, I might have something interesting for you.

The crow fly away, Gutts and Puck look at the giant fog gate in front of them. They notice that the moss in the floor was replaced by sand. The two enter the fog, behind it is a big sand field, in the center Puck sees a pale woman, her hair and eyes, pure black. She's also carrying some kind of spear. She looks at the two, Puck says afraid:

I think she's not a friend-

The woman started to scream and launches several blue orbs in Gutts direction, Puck hides behind Gutts back. Gutts use his sword to block the attack but the force of the orbs is too great and he is tossed aside while Puck is launched into the sand. While Gutts get up, the sand below the woman start to shake, suddenly the rest of her body gets out of the sand. A giant black scorpion was replacing the lower part of the woman's body. Gutts grins and place his two hands in dragonslayer while saying:

C'mon…

The woman charge at Gutts, hers insect legs making the ground tremble. The monsters left pincer goes for Gutts head. He dodges the attack and slide his blade to the scorpion's legs, he cut two left legs and the woman start to scream. Suddenly the scorpion stinger start to hit the ground beastly, trying to hit Gutts. The attacks are random and fast, Gutts tries to dodge but the scorpion turns around making it's clamp hit Gutts. Before Gutts could be launched in the air the scorpion lady launches more magic orbs at him. Gutts use his blade as shield, the attacks launch him in the ground, he quickly drop dragonslayer and throw his knives at the woman. He was aiming for a very specific spot, the eyes. Two knives hit the eyes and one the left arm of the lady, she screams in agony. Gutts use the opportunity to take his blade and run towards the creature, she turns again, but Gutts use her right pincer to get impulse and jump to her head. He swings his blade and cut the creature's head, both Gutts and the head hit the floor at the same time. Puck stretch his head out of the sand scratching his eyes saying:

What did I miss ?

Gutts see a tunnel in the other side, Puck jump in his shoulder and the two descend into the tunnel. After walking a little, Gutts notice water on his feet. They continue to follow the dark grey tunnel until they reach a cave. Suddenly out of the shadows an enormous elephant creature wearing a golden armor charges at them. His halberd goes down, almost hitting Gutts, Puck then see a path leading up and shout:

Gutts! There!

The two manage to run away and loose the monster in the grey corridors ahead. While they walk further into the corridors, Puck looks at Gutts and say:

You know, I can feel other beings feelings…

Gutts don't turn to him and continue to walk, he then say:

What do you mean ?

Puck replies:

I feel joy when someone around does, and…pain too.

He pause for some seconds and then continues:

Gutts, you…

Gutts coldly replies:

Shut up…

Puck looks down thinking that he knows where this pain, this rage and fear will lead Gutts, it's not a good place. The two finally gets out of the tunnel, it's night now, Gutts sees the remains of a village and a path on the right side of the field going down. The two descend the path when Gutts hear a loud noise, something heavy falling, he looks up and see an enormous boulder going down above him. He starts to run while Puck screams, Gutts jump and starts rolling down the path, landing in the field below, Puck is holding in his shoulder felling dizzy and saying:

It was supposed to be a normal day…

Gutts gets up and see a brown structure with a stone gate and a lever on the side. Gutts push the lever, making the gate lift. The two enter a room with two door, each one with a lever on their side. Some strange liquid falls into Pucks head, he starts complaining and looks up. He then sees various human sized spiders on the ceiling, Puck screams:

GUTTS!

Gutts looks up, the spiders starts to jump at him, the first is cut in half by dragonslayer. More seven land in the ground and charge at the two. Gutts swing his dragonslayer, killing tree spiders while moving next to a wall. Tree other spider are surrounding him, Puck then creates a little spark ball and throws it at the spider's saying:

Elf spark ball!

The spiders run away thinking the spark is a fire ball. Puck then strike a knight pose in front of Gutts. Gutts simply ignores and push the first lever, revealing a ladder, he climbs it and encounter a fog gate. Entering it the two sees what looks like to be a sanctuary room, various chairs in front of a shrine. In the center of the room, a crowd of undead bow to a big creature, with purple robes and a strange skull for a helmet, he's followed by two other creatures in white ceremonial robes, they all carry staffs. Gutts charges at the three monsters, the undead try to attack him but with a swing of his blade they are all teared apart. Gutts blade goes right in the face of the purple creature, but it stops. Gutts can't move his body. He notices that the other two are using magic to paralyse him. Puck sees Gutts face get angrier and the blade begins to move, Gutts remember when Griffith did the same, his blade couldn't hit him. Not this time, the blade bashes the purple monster head, destroying it, he then spins with the sword, cutting the heads of the two other monsters. Gutts walk past the passage on the other side of the room, he's breathing is heavy, too many enemies, one after another. Even absorbing it's souls, it's too much. The two reach a cliff, Gutts see the remains of a village underneath, with a swirl of sand in the center. Gutts jump of the cliff, landing just inches ahead of the swirl. He hear the crow's voice again, saying:

Ah, you made it!

Gutts sees the crow in front of a wood door, the crow continues:

C'mon in, I have something for you…

The two follow Ornifex into the room, they see a room filled with dolls, barrels and a chest that Ornifex sits on. Ornifex then say:

I can present you a legendary armor, only forged for the ones who chose to give their humanity away…

Gutts and Puck stare at the crow paying attention. The crow continues:

I will forge her ounce more, and will deliver it to you…

Gutts then say:

You know Majula ?

The crow replies:

Yes, the last non dangerous place of drangleic…

Gutts continues:

Bring the armor there, I have to see the Duke…

While Gutts and Puck walk out of the room the crow ask:

And if you not survive ?

Gutts doesn't answer. The two follow the path in the center of the village, leading a wood bridge, on the sides, huge pale spikes, on the other side, a big stone gate with a lever on the side. Passing the gate the two enters a huge room filled with giant spider webs. The two descent in the web, on the ground they are attacked by corpses. Puck shout:

Gutts look! In their backs!

Gutts notice that the spiders stuck their sharp legs into the rotten bodies, and are using them as shield. Gutts see a fog gate ahead of them, the brand start to bleed badly. He have no time to play with these abominations. Gutts run slashing the creatures on the way until he reach the gate. Passing through it the two sees a giant dragon in the end of the big cave like room. He's wrapped in webs, suddenly an horde of spiders start to come out of the fallen monster's mouth. A ominous and monstrous roar is heard and Gutts and Puck see and enormous, with one head on each extremity monster, the enormous spider jump of the ceiling and land in front of them. The brand bleeds even more, this is a great one.

Gutts charges to the enormous monster while Puck use his spark to keep the horde of spiders away. Gutts hit the spiders head with the dragon slayer, the blade got stuck in the monster head. The spider then turn around, tossing Gutts and his blade aside, the other head start to spit a beam of energy. Guts get up, the horde is surrounding him as the beam goes for his head. Gutts launches his body in the air, dodging the attack, but Puck can't hold the entire horde of spiders. They start to attack Gutts. The giant spider also try to hit the two with it's gigantic legs. While the ground trembles with the monsters legs, Gutts slain dozens of spiders while Puck uses two spark balls to scare as much as he can. The monster legs almost hit Gutts, making a slight cut in his cheek. There are too many foes, Gutts and Puck can't fight the horde and the giant spider at the same time. Puck then launches one spark ball at the monstrous spider eyes, blinding it. The monster start to move frenetically, Gutts jump on one of it's leg and manage to get in the top of the monster. The horde starts to climb the spider trying to reach Gutts, who keep swinging his sword killing uncountable foes. He then stick dragonslayer in the monster's back, making it go even crazier. Puck launches various spark balls in the remaining horde while Gutts try to hold himself in the back of the giant spider. He pushes his blade for the left with strength, making the beast head the same way and hit the wall, he leaves dragonslayer and take his dagger and reveal his cannon. When the monster turns again, Gutts jumps on the remaining head while shouting, his dagger pierce the spider skin and slide making Gutts be face to face with the monster while holding the dagger in the monster left eye. Gutts then put the canon touching the middle of the monster hideous face. Puck can only hear Gutts heavy breathing before the cannon ball turns the monster head into a pile of meat. After the explosion, the monster huge body drop dead in the ground, the remaining spiders start running away. Gutts receives the enormous power of the monster soul. He then gets up, take his weapons back and start walking the stairs going down on the right side of the room, as they go down Puck thinks in what he felt when Gutts was fighting, it was a mix so powerful of feelings he couldn't understand quite well, and what he saw, a massacre, demons, an eclipse. He felt part of Gutts pain and fear, and whatever was the outcome of this adventure, he knew he would be with that big guy, someone has to be the comic relief, he thought.

The two enter in a room filled with books, a man is looking a table on the other side, the lamp on his side make a strange shadow in the wall. The man turned around, noble clothes, but a decaying body. Gutts quickly cut the hollow's head off saying:

This must be the "Duke"…

He then looks at the table which the Duke was looking, he feels chills sent down into his spine when he sees a little, red orb, with parts of a face scattered in it. Gutts can only say one word:

Behelit…


	8. Chapter 7 - Flames and Shadows

**I do not own any of these characters, they're owned by their respective companies.**

* * *

 **7**

 _Flames and Shadows_

It's night in Majula, a group of brave individuals sit around the bonfire near the cliff. Puck flies around Casca, she tries to catch him while laughing.

Gutts is on the other side of the fire, he looks at Casca and for the first time, he's not angry. He looks at the two, their shadows dancing in the fire, Gutts stare at the center of the bonfire, the flame burning red and yellow.

He sees something inside the shadow, a little black dot. The dot start to grow, Gutts notice, it's some kind of dog. He has demonic red eyes and black fur. The dog stare at Gutts for a couple minutes, for some reason, Gutts can't stop looking back. The dog then look at Casca, it starts to growl, he looks back at Gutts while licking it's teeth. Gutts feel something dark and sadistic come out of that thing.

The dog then jump on Casca, she start to scream while the creature bite her arm making it bleed. Gutts jump on the monster, he punch and kick the monster, but the dog keeps hurting Casca. Gutts can't find his sword, and Puck suddenly has disappeared.

Then the dog leaves Casca and jumps on Gutts, his flesh start to merge with Gutts, terrified the swordman fall on his knees. Various thoughts and images flash in his head. The eclipse, his friends dying, Casca. He see monsters rape her continuously, Griffith eyes looking down on him.

Something start to burn on his chest, rage. Gutts feels the rage consume him and then hear a monstrous voice say:

It's time, accept me…

Gutts look at Casca, she is laying on the grass in panic, the voice continue:

We both know what you want…go…take her…

Gutts gets up, a shadow starts emanating from the warrior. He goes to Casca and starts to rip her clothes off while she screams. He can only think in what he lost, and how much he want her back. He forcefully opens her legs, but she manage to punch his face. Gutts stop for a moment, the shadow grows bigger, he put his hand on Casca's breasts. She screams while Gutts lick her breasts, his actions dancing in the fire. Gutts then think in what he is doing and gets up shouting:

NO!

The gigantic shadow, now with the beast's face say:

You will end up killing every one…

Gutts looks around, the entire village is filled with bodies of his comrades. Gutts can't move, only watch in despair. Gutts only replies:

No…

The black swordsman takes Casca by the neck and hold her on the cliff side. He tries to stop but he can't control his actions. Casca is unable to move, her mind is finally broken itself to the last bit. Suddenly, the grass start to burn, the shacks, the village and the bodies, everything engulfed in the fire of Gutts rage. Casca start to burn, her empty eyes looking into Gutts soul. The shadow show a sadistic smile, it's monstrous teeth being licked by it's tongue. The shadow say:

Kill…

Gutts then open his hand and let Casca fall, she start to scream, and the shadow to laugh. The two sounds merge into one deafening melody, the noise fills Gutts mind until his face starts to change. A familiar face takes place, Griffith's face.

Suddenly he sees Puck flying in front of him asking:

Gutts, are you all right ?

Gutts looks around desperate, there's no fire on the village except the bonfire. He then see Casca, looking at the moon on the cliff side. Puck continues:

Must've been a nightmare, calm down big guy.

Gutts gets up and walk towards the cliff, he stands beside Casca, looking at her. She looks back at him, with a naïve expression. Gutts think:

I really can't control myself ?

The green herald comes walking with Benhart, going towards the bonfire. She look at Gutts with a serious face, knowing that something is wrong. He then looks at the moon and tell himself in his mind:

No! I won't let that happen!

He close his hand in determination and continues:

I will control this rage!

While Casca and the rest sit around the bonfire, Gutts is leaning in the three on the cliff side, lost in thoughts. In the flames, a little black dot watches.


	9. Chapter 8 - The Baneful Queen

**I do not own any of these characters, they're owned by their respective companies.**

* * *

 **8**

 _THE BANEFUL QUEEN_

The sun light shines on Majula, while the black swordsman is looking closely the little artifact found in Tseldora. He looks at the "red egg" while thinking:

Why is this here ? Griffith…he used it to…

Suddenly the green herald touches his shoulder saying:

Careful swordsman… This is not a coincidence…

Gutts looks at her serious. He replies asking:

What do you mean ?

The herald looks at the sky and say:

An opportunity… that's what it is…

Gutts looks at the sky and is surprised by Ornifex landing in front of him, carrying an black armor with her. She leaves the armor in the ground and then say:

Here it is, my payment…

The rest of the group comes to see the armor, it's pitch black, thick and has a skull like helmet. Gutts just take the armor and go to an abandoned shack to wear it. Finishing it he feels the hate in his heart burn even stronger, the helmet retracts and goes to the back of his head, leaving his sight clear. As he walks away from the shack the group comes to him, Puck say:

Wow, now that's nice!

Benhart continues:

Yeah, that's a fine armor mate.

Casca is looking at Ornifex, curious. The emerald herald look with a serious face, she then say:

You must head to the Iron Keep, that way…

She point at a tunnel doing down, Gutts nods and the group goes the path while Casca stay, trying to bite Ornifex feathers. As they walk the tunnel Puck ask Benhart:

Soo, you decided to come with us ?

Benhart smirks saying:

Yeah, the green lady told me of the battles the black swordsman won. I came to this land to perfect my blade, so I will follow him in his battles.

Puck nods looking at the great shining blue sword the warrior carries. Gutts only say:

Just don't get in the way…

The group reaches a bifurcation, two paths, one is blocked with a gate. A woman in what appears to be a medium's robe is standing in the middle of the path alongside a column with a strange carving in it. The woman seeing the group, smiles and say:

Travelers, offer your souls to God, and I shall open the right path for you…

Benhart replies scratching his beard:

How do ya know what path is the right one for us ?

The woman smile turned on a malicious one as she say:

The angels…they told me…

Gutts just say:

Open the path…

His blade strikes the floor on the side of the woman, and in a matter of seconds, she waves her hand in the craving and the left path gate begin to open. As the group walks the path Gutts say:

Thanks…

The woman looks at the three as they walk away, her face starts to change, and another takes place, her hair looks like vines, and her smile, provocating, she only say to herself:

Your welcome…

The group reaches a large forest, Puck fly fast in the front saying:

Scouting ahead!

Seconds later he returns screaming:

No more scouting!

A large, fat and gruesome warrior comes charging in their direction, the monster is decaying and holds two enormous scythes in his hands. He start to swing the deadly weapons, but Benhart manage to deflect the first attack, he thinks:

Ha! This beast won't defeat the brave Benhar-

An waving sound interrupts his thoughts, when he looks at the beast, it's head is gone and the black swordsman is on the another side with his weapon draw. He looks at himself and let out a laugh before joining the warrior. The group reaches an enormous bridge high up, and sees a lever in the side. Puck say:

Push the lever Gutts, might draw the brigde down-

Before the elf could finish they were surrounded with bandits, hollow ones, their skin falling apart and dagger full of rust. Gutts and Benhart are on their backs, pointing their swords to the enemies surrounding them. Suddenly they start to attack, the swings of the duo's swords destroys the enemies filling the skies with blood. Gutts then push the lever and the bridge goes down, the three walk past it reaching a great waterfall.

Puck then sense a powerful being behind the waterfall and say:

There's something behind the water Gutts!

Gutts smile passing his hand on his bleeding brand while nodding. The group finds a straight passage that goes behind the waterfall and ends in a fog gate. Entering it they see three big skeletons sitting in three thrones made of bones, the room is filled with parts of skeletons and armors. Puck tries to pass the fog gate behind the group in despair while Gutts and Benhart charge to the monsters.

The three skeletons stand up and start to attack, one is with an enormous scythe, the weapon goes down for Benhart's head but Gutts manage to block it with dragonslayer. The other two skeletons go on each side of the room, the on in the right side point his staff to the two warriors and a giant fire ball is launched in their directions.

Gutts feel the heat of the fire coming, he pushes the scythe skeleton away, hold his breath and with all his strength, he bashes his sword into the middle of the fire ball. The movement is so fast and powerful that creates a vacuum, extinguishing the fire. Benhart looks at Gutts with a bit of envy in his heart thinking:

Get in the way huh ? I guess he was right...

Then the left skeleton uses his staff to summons the bones lying in the ground, they are all pieced together, forming a small army. Gutts looks back seeing them as the scythe comes from his blind spot, Benhart runs in his direction and with a swing of his blade, he cuts the scythe blade in half. Gutts just smirks and charges at the horde of skeletons, tearing apart the dozens of enemies that amount themselves trying to reach the black swordsman.

Benhart jumps and spin his sword, cutting the head of the scythe skeleton, making the monster shatter into pieces in the floor, he then looks at the fireball skeleton. The creature eyes glows red and another fireball is launched, Benhart manage to dodge it and the fireball lands in a pile of bones.

Puck punches the fog gate with all of his strength screaming:

Let me ouuuutttt !

Then he hear strange laughs behind him. When he turns he sees a group of skeletons ready to jump on him.

On the other side, Gutts swing his sword on the horde, getting closer to the bigger skeleton, the armor is making him and his anger stronger, he feels a growing temptation, to let it consume him. He shoves these thoughts away while piercing the big skeleton's chest with dragonslayer, the monster crumbles into pieces.

Benhart manage to cut the base of the fireball staff and the with a shout and a swing of his sword, he cuts the last skeleton in half, while Puck is flying desperate with the horde on his back while he screams:

I HATE THIS PLACE !

Suddenly, all of the remaining horde crumbles and the fog gate disappears, the souls of the monsters go to the warrior bodies filling them with power. Puck just look staggered:

Oh, it's over then…phew!

The group then walk past the bridge on the other side of the room and reaches a deserted place, full of giant rocks and a thick green fog. Benhart then say:

Careful, it's poison…

Gutts looks at Puck and ask:

Puck, elfs can be poisoned ?

Puck afraid just replies:

I-I don't know, why ?

Gutts just smirks.

On the middle of the fog is the group of warriors, walking slowly to the path ahead while Puck drops his elf dust continuously on Gutts and Benhart to heal them from the poison. Benhart say while the group walks:

Great idea swordsman, never would've thought of that!

Puck replies angry:

He didn't even knew if I would survive this!

The group then reaches a path without fog and continues until they see a great fort like structure with a giant mill on the side. Benhart scratch his beard as he say:

Yes, here's the home of Mytha…

Puck jump on Benhart's shoulder saying:

Oh oh, who's she ? A princess ? A queen ?

Gutts just watches as Benhart seriously replies:

A queen, yes. Legends say, that Mytha was wed to the prince of a nearby castle, but the prince had feelings for another. Consumed by love, Mytha tried everything to be more beautiful and earn the prince's love, her experiments slowing turning her into a monster.

Puck, scared just say:

N-no happy ending then ?

Benhart continues, now with a bit of fear in his voice:

They say that Mytha still resides this fort, now disfigured and deadly, she awaits her prince in the very top.

Gutts just start to walk into the fort as Puck screams in his ear asking them to go back. Benhart just smirks and follows the two. They walk several staircases, passing through poison lakes and creatures, slaying every aggressive one, until reaching a fog gate, the three enters the gate and behind it, it's a fat, legless monster, with sharp teeth and greedy little eyes.

Gutts looks at the beast and say:

Your legends didn't mentioned this one Benhart…

The monster start to roll it's huge body, trying to smash the warriors, but Gutts cuts the meat of the monster with dragonslayer. Every move of the monster makes easier to cut it with dragonslayer. Benhart and Puck watches, both horrified while Gutts tear apart the monster with swings of his blade. Benhart can only ask himself:

What could've happened to that man ? What turned him into this beast ?

With the creature down, the group walk past a gate on the other side of the big circular room, they see a bonfire lift, and for Gutts, a familiar mask looking at him.

Lucatiel is leaning in the wall in the side of the bonfire, she looks at Gutts and say:

We meet again swordsman…

Gutts just say:

Lucatiel…

Benhart walks towards the woman saying:

Ahh so the brave warrior of Mirrah is here, or should I say, his shadow ?

Suddenly, Lucatiel's blade reach Benhart's neck, just a little pressure would kill the man. She then say:

One more word and you will turn hollow…

Puck land on Lucatiel's shoulder, he start to poke her mask saying:

Calm down lady, he's a good guy.

Gutts then ask:

What are you doing here ?

She replies with sadness in her voice:

I am looking for my brother, Aslatiel… I heard from the herald that he came this way…

Puck starts to fly around Lucatiel saying:

We can help you search right Gutts ?

Gutts just nods. Lucatiel agrees and the group start walking again, headed to the top of the fort. As they walk the rooms of the fort Lucatiel start talking with Gutts:

My brother, he heard that the cure for the undead curse is in Drangleic, one day, he disappeared. He must be here…

Gutts looks at her and say:

What do you think…about the cure ?

She stops and Gutts with her, Benhart and Puck continues heading forward, Lucatiel then takes her mask off, Gutts sees a beautiful blonde woman, the left side of her face is decaying. She looks at him with a mix of determination and fear saying:

I can just hope, that it is!

She then put her mask again and they continue walking. The group then reach the top floor, and a fog gate is in front of them. Puck sees the giant mill behind the group and say:

I guess it's that what pumps the poison in this place.

Lucatiel then grabs a torch leaning in the wall and goes to the side of the mill, she then throw the torch at it, making it burst in fire. She then say:

This must stop the poison, makes the place safer.

The group then walk past the fog gate, Benhart was visible scared, but his face completely changed to absolute horror when he saw the part woman, part snake creature, with a spear in one hand and its head into another, standing into a circular stone floor, surrounded by poison. He whispers to himself:

Mytha…

Gutts and Lucatiel charge to the monster, jumping to the circular floor to avoid the poison. Benhart just stares at the monster while Puck lands on his shoulder saying:

Hey, wake up!

Lucatiel manage to block the spear attacks with her leather shield while Gutts tried to hit the head in the other hand. The head started to scream as an energy ray hits the two. Lucatiel then jump on the monster's back and manage to cut it's spear arm with the sword. Gutts then pierce the monster chest with dragonslayer. But the monster's arm positioned it's head right in front of Gutts, the head starts to glow and scream as Gutts is trying to take the sword of the creature's chest. Suddenly Benhart pushes Gutts away and is bombarded by the monster attack, Lucatiel is launched in the other side of the room, almost hitting Puck.

Gutts gets up confused, he looks at his companion, petrified. Then Mytha's snake tail grabs Benhart and breaks him into pieces. Hearing Puck's scream of terror, Gutts jumps into the monster. Using his dagger, he pierce it's tail and using all of his strength he pushes the monster down, he then uses his cannon and blast away the creature's head, finishing it.

Gutts then take his sword back of the monster corpse and helps Lucatiel to stand up while asking:

You are fine ?

Gutts just replies coldly:

Yes, barely knew him…

As the two walked to the passage in the other side of the room, Puck was following them and thinking that Gutts was lying. The elf saw his reaction when the monster killed Benhart, Lucatiel saw too. Gutts does not do well with losses. Even if was for a brief side, Benhart fought alongside Gutts, and he respected that.

They reach a contraption machine which leads them high up, as they ascend, the group start feeling a strong heat coming from above. When the machine stops the three wanderers are speechless.

An giant iron castle soaked in the lava under it is in front of them. As they look the structure, Gutts can hear metal footsteps coming closer…

* * *

 **Hey guys ! Just here to give a heads up^^. Well, let's begin:**

 **\- The dark souls universe, and Gutts story are incredible long. So expect some good amount of chapter left to finish the story. I will try making them as diverse and entertaining as possible while not prolonging immensily.**

 **\- My time is kind of limited right now, so the chapters are going to be uploaded a bit slower.**

 **\- Im brazilian, so my english it's not perfect, i apologize for the lack of vocabulary in some level.**

 **\- And finally, i really appreciate the good comments the story is receiving, it's thanks to that (and my love for both universes^^) i am confident in leading this to the very end, as long as may be (again, will try to not make immensily long haha).**

 **So, thanks to everyone and keep tunned for the coming chapters^^.**


	10. Chapter 9 - Red Eyes

**I do not own any of these characters, they're owned by their respective companies. Also, sorry for the delay^^.**

* * *

 **9**

 _RED EYES_

Pieces of metal armor falls into the lava as dragonslayer dances in the hot wind. Gutts and Lucatiel are exausted, they are in the entrance of the castle, but can't enter. Every time they try, more iron knights comes to attack them. Wielding black katanas and purple hollow armors, the knights are just ghosts of that fallen castle.

Gutts finally manage to open the castle doors, throwing one of the soldiers on it. The group hurry to get inside, jumping through the stairs on the other side of the black metal room.

Reaching the top, Gutts can only hear Lucatiel scream something before a spear comes from the side, almost hitting his face, but landing on the broken floor. He looks at the aggressor, a purple hollow knight, using an enormous bow to throw spears. Things are in a different level here.

Puck points them a way out of the room. Following Puck, the group pass through an open area, a lava lake beneath them, a bridge full of knights crossing it. Lucatiel looks to Gutts, worried, and say:

We will not be able to kill all of them…this place…we just got here…and…

She looks at the knights, the empty visors staring at the warriors, then she completes:

It's insane…

She then notices Gutts pointing his metal arm in the knights direction. Gutts stays silent as the cannon ball destroys the knights, clearing the path. Suddenly more spears comes flying, Gutts then shout:

We need to move, now!

The three run across the bridge, dodging the spears and ends up in front of a fog gate. Lucatiel warns Gutts:

Careful, won't be like the others, this place…it's different…

Gutts feels his rage increase, he feels something inside him, wanting to get out.

As Gutts tries to focus on the situation again, Puck grabs a spear laying in the ground and say while lifting it with difficult:

We can…handle it…

The three walks past the fog, and in the circular room made of metal, it's a huge metal monster, part of his limbs blazing in fire, the other parts covered in a thick metal shell. It's head turns to them, a black hole in the place of eyes and mouth. The thing takes it's giant sword, with fire coming from the tip and prepares to strike. Puck immediately say:

Ohh we can't handle this!

The monster charges to them striking it's sword into the ground trying to hit the group, Gutts and Lucatiel dodges the attack, Gutts going to the right and Lucatiel to the left. Lucatiel uses the monster sword to get and impulse and jump right into it's face while Gutts prepare his cannon again.

The monster then grab Lucatiel in the air and starts crushing her, Gutts fire his cannon at the monsters arm, but the metal protecting it is too strong. The firing demon turns to Gutts, and with a violent movement, launches Lucatiel into Gutts direction, making the two hit the wall and then the floor.

They look up as the monster is lifting it's sword for the final blow, when the monster feel a soft poke behind it's head. Looking behind the thing sees the little elf using all of his strength to hit it with the spear. The monster roars, an ominous noise fills the hole place and Puck fall in fear, rambling nonsense.

When the monster looks back Gutts is already standing up and attacking with dragonslayer. The two monstrous swords clash, sparks and fire flying around as they continuously trade swings on each other. Lucatiel then pass through the two titans and take the spear Puck was carrying, and launches it into the hole in the monster's head.

The spear hit perfectly, the monster start to roar in agony, Gutts start taking powerful swings on the confused monster. Each strike making a loud metal noise, and making the beast fall. The monster then gets up slowly as Gutts prepare for another strike, but suddenly, the monster uses it's own sword to give the final blow in it's on core.

The group watches unable to move, as the monster screams in pain and finally hit the floor. They walk past the stairs, reaching a metal bridge with stairs leading down in a semi-circle format. The group descend into the depths of the castle, reaching a large lake filled with lava and old ruins. As the group walk towards the great fog gate ahead Gutts thinks if this is all a dream. It's too absurd to believe. He enters the gate with Lucatiel and Puck at his side.

In the other side, some of the stone floor remains as the rest of the place is filled with magma. Gutts brand starts to bleed even more. A giant monster emerges from the lava, it's skin composed of rock and magma, giant horns fill it's head, it's body is only half covered in lava and with a terrible roar, it charges to the group. Puck looks at the enormous monster coming to them and say:

And I was thinking the worst has passed…

Lucatiel turns to Gutts, the cold metal eyes passing a worry feeling, she say:

Gutts, we can't-

Before she could finish, Gutts walks past her and stare at the coming beast. The anger is almost consuming him, since he put the cursed armor he feels the need to let this fury go loose. Even with all he has lost, he never felt such anger, and such desire to let it feast on him. He gives up.

From his dark cloak, the form of a wolf head comes, in the direction of his head, morphing into a wolf shaped helmet. As the helmet gets closer to his head, the rage burns more and more, he feels pain. Lucatiel and Puck tries to come closer to him but the beast has arrived, and with another roar, shining red wings spreads from it's back, making a powerful wave of wind. The masked lady and the elf fall in the ground, they look at Gutts, standing right in front of the monster as it roars at him. Puck screams:

GUTTS!

Gutts, with hatred consuming all of his body and mind, feels the cursed armor gets to his head forming teeth ready to close in a bite. The black swordsman only say:

I'm fine…

The helmet closes, a wolf's head take place, ebony teeth and red eyes, staring at the devil…


	11. Chapter 10 - The Cursed Armor

**I do not own any of these characters, they're owned by their respective companies.**

* * *

 **10**

 _THE CURSED ARMOR_

The giant burning demon strike with his giant fist, aiming for Gutts head. The impact sunks part of the ruin into the lava. Suddenly a giant sword strike the monster's neck, cutting a part of it. In the blink of an eye, Gutts has avoided the demon attack, jumping and inflicting a fatal strike.

Lucatiel and Puck are astonished with what they just saw, a human wouldn't be able to do that. Lucatiel say to herself:

That armor, is that…enhancing Gutts ?

The black swordsman jumps through the ruins, avoiding the colossal strikes of the monster. The demon's arm goes down trying to reach Gutts but he jumps back and uses the broken wall at the other side as impulse to storm at the monster face.

He pierce it's face with dragonslayer, but the monster does not die. As it turns it's head more and more fast, Gutts uses the dragonslayer threaded in it's head to gain balance.

Lucatiel tries to reach Gutts, but Puck pushes her the other way by the hat saying:

You can't go there, it's too dangerous!

Lucatiel replies:

I am not scared of this demon!

Puck looks at the two monsters fighting ahead and say:

I'm not talking about the demon…

Gutts sees himself in his mind, everything is blurred, dark and hostile. He feels that if he doesn't kill every single living being in there, he's going to die, and more importantly: Griffith will continue alive.

Gutts then take his sword off the monster head and swings it at the demon's eyes, blinding it. With a monstrous roar the monster grabs Gutts and crushes him into the ruin's floor. The two watching the fight scream in despair as the monster launches Gutts inside of the ruins.

Gutts breaks through the walls, passing the final bonfire of the castle and lands on the thick wall on the other side. Lucatiel and Puck charge to Gutts location, managing to avoid the monster blind strikes. When the two see Gutts they almost throw up.

He's in a pool of blood, one arm with a exposed fracture and the other turned completely the opposite way. The left knee joint is pushed to the other far end almost completely, and his neck is locked in a diagonal position, turned half way, almost in his back, all wrapped in a long chain that must been hit when Gutts stormed through the place. Lucatiel falls on her knees as Puck say:

Can't be…he can't be…

Gutts can only see darkness, his friends voices are fading, then he hear a guttural voice saying:

We're not done yet…

Gutts start to see his friends silhouettes, and he thinks:

They shouldn't be at my side… they will…

The guttural voice returns saying:

Yes…they will die…everything will die…

The silhouettes changes, now Gutts sees monstrous shadows with sharped teeth. He then sees the wolf, the monstrous black wolf, it's red demonic eyes looking at him. It licks it's sharp teeth while saying:

Kill the world…

Suddenly Puck and Lucatiel hear a cracking noise, right in front of their eyes, Gutts torned members place themselves correctly again. Lucatiel say to herself without realizing she's yelling:

It's the armor !?

With the final sound of his neck being back into place, Gutts takes out the chains of him and with it in his hand, gets up, and walks towards the two. Gutts takes Lucatiel by the neck and lift her above ground. Puck start punching Gutts desperately, but to no avail. Gutts start choking Lucatiel while the red eyes of his helmet meet the cold metal eyes of her mask.

Suddenly the monster approaches again through the enormous rupture that was the ruins ceiling. The monster comes in their direction, it uses a final effort to wipe out all of the threats, it's mouth start to shine red, gaining Gutts attention.

He throws Lucatiel away and run for dragonslayer on the ground. Gutts wrap dragonslayer's grip with the chain, he then uses all of his new strength to launch the sword in the demon direction. The sword pass through the devil's mouth, piercing through his head and coming to the other side. Silence fills the place, and Lucatiel and Puck only hear the metal sound of the chains being pulled before the sword could fall into the lava. Suddenly the sword comes storming to Gutts hands, the metal burning like hell. He looks back to the two frightened friends and stares at them for a couple of seconds. He sees monsters, but the voices, they tell him otherwise. Suddenly the great black wolf appears in front of him saying:

Kill…the world!

Gutts feels the gigantic pressure of the events that have passed, all the pain, suffering and rage. Then a little person, wearing a purple mage's robe and hat emerges from the shadows of the corner of the room, the person uses a wooden staff and chant an enchantment.

Gutts sees a bright light and then a feminine and very young voice saying:

Calm down…

For some reason he can't explain, the rage gets smaller and smaller, the wolf vanishes in shadows and Gutts fall on his knees, the helmet opens revealing an exhausted and badly hurt man. Lucatiel and Puck reach Gutts, the two are amazed and terrified with what just happens. They look at the little mage, Gutts eyes meet hers and then, she waves her staff, and vanishes into nothing. As Lucatiel and Puck surround Gutts trying to see the extent of his wounds, the black swordsman whisper:

I'm…sorry…

Lucatiel just ignores the words, as Puck throws some elfic dust in Gutts wounds saying:

It's in the job's description big guy!

Suddenly, they hear a laugh. The laugh echoes through their minds, Gutts and the others look to the monster, it was to be falling into the lava, but it's standing, and transforming. The rocks and lava transform itselfs, molding the monster into a giant lady, with provocative curves. Her black wings cover her body, letting the rest to the imagination as she waves her vine-like hair.

She looks down at the three warriors and then only at Gutts, and say:

My, my… you've became quite a warrior…

Gutts looks at the giant woman and remembers, she was at the eclipse. She is part of the God Hand, five demons who control the world, Griffith sacrificed everyone in the band of the Hawk to turn into one of them. The armor starts to take form again as the woman say:

You miss Griffith right ?

The armor stops, Gutts looks at her, surprised, and asks:

What… what did you say ?

She licks her lips and say:

You miss him don't you ? You don't really want to kill him…

Puck and Lucatiel can't understand what is happening, they try to move Gutts from there but he refuses to leave. The giant woman starts to become smaller and continues:

There's a way to turn things good again…

Suddenly she's a size of a human and touching Gutts face. Lucatiel draw her sword and Puck takes Gutts dagger, as they attack Lucatiel screams:

Die you-

The woman laughs quietly while snapping her fingers, making a shockwave and launching the two away. She them makes a movement with her hand and the red behelit floats out of Gutts pocket. While it floats in front of Gutts the woman makes a proposition:

Become one of us my dear, and help the Hawk conquer the world. Like the old times….

The last words echoes in Gutts mind, the behelit starts to change but suddenly, the dragonslayer comes storming for the woman's head, launching her away. His rage will never let he live in a world where Griffith lives. The woman laughs again while floating above the lava saying:

So be it… maybe it's more fun this way…

She lick her lips looking at Gutts and shatter in a thousand pieces falling in the magma. Gutts hold the behelit in his hand and it continues to change, triggered by his hate as the helmet continues to engulf his head. Lucatiel then takes the red thing off Gutts hands, her arms closes, hugging him and saying:

Enough, you are not a demon…

The helmet opens and disappears in Gutts cloak as he falls in the ground, tired. The great soul finally goes to Gutts body, healing him partially. He gets up and look at Lucatiel for a second, then he ignites the bonfire as Puck lands in his shoulder thanking the elfic deities that he's alive.

Suddenly an enormous face composed of vines and veins emerges from the flames. Gutts only says:

Aldia…

Lucatiel scream in shock:

Lord Aldia!

And Puck says:

Am I the only one who don't know this guy ?


	12. Chapter 11 - Moonlight Omen

**I do not own any of the characters in this story. They are owned by their respective companies.**

* * *

 **11**

 _MOONLIGHT OMEN_

The mounstrosity called Aldia looks at the three warriors in front of it's eyes. His ominous voice saying:

Branded one…there are but two paths…

Gutts and the rest looked at Aldia uneased while the strange creature continued:

Inherit the order of this world, or destroy it.

Aldia seemed to distance it's thoughts while saying:

But only a true monarch can make such a choice…and yet, your journey is far from over…

Everything stayed silent for a second, then Aldia looked at Gutts eyes asking:

Marked one, have you what it takes, truly ?

Gutts walked closer to the giant face in front of him, pierced the ground with his sword and replied:

Monarchy is not my thing, but the destruction part…

Gutts gives a malicious smile and say:

That's what I'll do with the Hawk's world!

Aldia looks deep into Guts eyes, and replies calmly:

That, I am yet to believe marked one…farewell

The creature gets sucked into the ground, returning to the void from wich it came.

Lucatiel then asks:

Gutts, the armor…you are…

Gutts place his hand in her shoulder saying:

I'm fine, was just a scratch…

Puck continues while sitting in Gutts shoulder:

Our savior everyone…

Teleporting back to Majula the three see a giant fireball being throw into the center of the village. On the cliff side, is the one that casted the spell, the woman that Puck cured from being petrified. On the village side, using a magic shield to block the fireball, it's a little mage, in purple clothes. Puck screams:

It's her! Gutts, that mage saved you a while ago!

Gutts looked at her, the long purple mage hat shadow mas cloaking her face. Suddenly the green herald appears behind the group saying:

Those two are fighting since the little one got here…

Lucatiel looked around and then looked at Gutts, he then asked to the green herald:

Where's Casca ?!

They hear a scream and the green herald, with disconcerted smile, while pointing at the fight says:

There…

Casca is taking the hat off the little mage while she tries to defend herself against the fire attacks. Puck say while scratching his head:

That's…unusual.

Gutts runs to the battle as the pyromantic woman prepares for another strike. Casca takes the mages hat away and the little mage turns to her saying:

Give that back!

The fireball comes storming and the mage is distracted, but Gutts gets in front of her and Casca using dragonslayer as shield. The fire hit the sword making Gutts skin to burn a little, he then looks at the caster and say:

That's enough...

The caster replies pointing her finger at the mage saying:

She's the one that petrified me! She hates me and my master!

The mage replies:

You and your master tried to kill Flora!

Gutts turns to her, he sees a very young girl, with dark green hair and a mix of despair, anger and timid expression. He then say while reaching his hand for her:

Don't worry, I heard you save me a while ago. I want to hear that story…

They manage to calm the two sides and the whole group gathers around the bonfire in the cliff while sunset fills the sky with red. Gutts the asked the girl what was her name, she replied:

I'm Shierke, I'm a witch.

Suddenly something starts to moves behind Schirke's shoulder, then a female Elf appears. She has some kind of transparent dress that fit her body like it was her skin, she waves her pink hair and say:

And I am Evarella, an Elf!

Lucatiel facepalm herself saying:

God no, another one!

Puck goes flying to her and say:

Hey beauty, how about you and I-

The female elf punch Puck to the other side of the bonfire while Casca points and giggles at the defeated elf. As the dark descends on Majula, the caster then enters the conversation saying:

So, admit it! You and your master Flora think you are better than me and my master!

Shierke replied furious:

No Rosabeth, we don't care about you master stupid rivalry with us! We just want to be in peace.

Gutts then say:

And you will be, I need to know how you saved me, so no fighting.

Rosabeth get up and leave saying:

I will find master Carhillion…

Lucatiel tried to hold her saying:

Wait! It's even more dangerous in the dark.

She light her hands with fire while smiling and saying:

Don't underestimate a apprendice of Carhillion!

Gutts then say:

Let her go…we warned…

Rosabeth looks at Gutts for a second and go away in the dark. Gutts turns to Schierke again, the flames dancing in her shy eyes. He asks:

So, how did you save me ?

Evarella gets in front of the witch saying:

She used her formidable magic to calm down the lust for hatred of the armor! That's the power of this little girl!

Schierke replied embarrassed:

S-stop Evarella!

She looks at Gutts and hesitate for a moment. Then she say:

My master, Flora. She said that I needed to be in that place in that time, for a warrior was going to need my powers. I came and saw you with that cursed armor, it has to be you…

Gutts replies:

The voice I heard, was yours right ?

She answer while looking at her staff:

Yes, I used my spiritual projection to interact with your soul, and release it from the armor's control in that time.

Lucatiel takes her mask off, showing her hollow side and asks:

And your master, Flora, where is she ?

Schierke pauses for a moment, she turns to Gutts and says:

We… we were attacked, they surrounded us, Flora fought for hours…

Tears begin to fill her eyes while she continues:

They butchered her! The last thing she was able to do, was sending me here…to help you!

Before Gutts and the rest can react, the green herald talks:

You must head to Drangleic Castle, now…

She turns around, looking at the sea in the moonlight, and says:

Black swordsman, they sense your power growing stronger… they are coming for you, you all must leave for the castle, now…

Everyone pauses, Gutts gets up and say:

Let them come…

Lucatiel tries to replies saying:

Gutts, we don't know who they are, maybe we are better going for-

Puck start screaming while launching at Gutts head:

ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND ?!

The herald then says:

They are here…

On the horizon, three ships filled with the darkest horrors are sailing to take Majula down, and with it, the Black Swordsman…

* * *

 **Heeyy everyone, sorry it took sooo long to post another chapter, i was really busy. But now we are back baby!**

 **So, a little heads up:**

 **NEXT CHAPTER: NIGHT OF MONSTERS**


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